Each year, the Sierra Club recognizes leaders across the country who have made an impact on the environmental movement. We are so pleased that our own Connecticut Chapter leader Martha Klein is a recipient of the 2026 Sierra Club Volunteer Service Award. 

Martha has been a pillar of strength and support for our Chapter and a forceful advocate for our causes for over a decade. She is worthy of the volunteer service award for both aspects of her service: for her own advocacy work and for her work to build our Chapter into a place where the advocacy work of others can flourish.

Martha began volunteering with the Chapter in 2013. She served as Chapter Chair from 2016 to 2018. She also served as Communications Chair from 2013 to 2020 and Nominating Committee Chair from 2016 to 2020. Martha was a member of the Connecticut Chapter Executive Committee from 2013 to 2016 and was our Chapter representative to the Council of Sierra Club Leaders from 2013 to 2016. Currently, Martha leads our Beyond Gas and No Pipeline Expansion New England (NOPE) campaigns and is a member of our Environmental & Racial Justice and Legislative committees.

Throughout her time with Sierra Club, Martha has been an active, forceful and compassionate advocate against oil and gas infrastructure expansion, and for clean energy and environmental justice. This is demonstrated by the many editorials she has published and protests, rallies, and campaigns she has led.

In addition, Martha has put in the time, effort and care into building up the capabilities and capacity of the Connecticut Chapter. We have grown from no staff when she started as Chair to a highly effective staff of four, a robust volunteer base, and a director who has been in her role since Martha hired her in 2018, bringing much needed stability and consistency of vision to our organization. It is safe to say that the Connecticut Chapter would not be the stable and well-functioning organization it is today without the contributions of Martha Klein over the past decade.

The national award ceremony will take place virtually on October 14 at 7 p.m. and all are invited to attend. As a Chapter, we were able to present the award to Martha at the Connecticut Climate Fest on September 19, where Executive Committee Member Tenaya Taylor shared this poetic tribute to Martha:

John Brown—I mean Martha Klein

Saving the earth and saving lives

Fighting against these gas pipelines

For our health so we can thrive

Education and Supporting youth

Bravery and speaking truth

An Intelligent and beautiful soul 

Outside and In

We can all be more like Martha

K L E I N 

• Tenaya Taylor

Thank you and congratulations to Martha Klein on this well-deserved recognition.

Samantha Dynowski is State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut. Mike Ungaro is the Chapter Chair, and Tenaya Taylor is an Executive Committee member and Chair of the Environmental and Racial Justice Committee.